Interview with Prime Minister Ehud Barak on NBC "Meet the Press"
Sunday, July 18, 1999
Host: Tim Russert
MR. RUSSERT: Late last night I spoke with newly elected Israeli Prime
Minister Barak, and he offered these words to the Kennedy and Bessette
families.
(Begin videotaped segment.)
PRIME MIN. BARAK: I would say that after so many tragedies that the
Kennedy family suffered, we in Israel and I myself would like to convey to
them our thoughts and our prayers in these difficult hours and, at the
same time, to the Bessette family that lost two of its daughters.
MR. RUSSERT: Let me turn to the peace process. Do you believe that the
United States should function as an ally or an honest broker in the peace
negotiations?
PRIME MIN. BARAK: The U.S. has been and will be in the future an ally of
Israel, maybe the best ally we have. At the same time, without being an
honest broker sensitive to the needs of the Arabs, it cannot facilitate
the kind of services for the peace process. I think that both of the roles
are in place.
MR. RUSSERT: The president recently said, and I'll read it to you, "I
would like it if the Palestinian people felt free and were free to live
wherever they like, wherever they want to live." Is that possible?
PRIME MIN. BARAK: I don't think that this quotation was interpreted the
right way. Anyway, our position is clear. I don't think that refugees will
be able, under any circumstances, come back into Israel, but better if a
solution for them should be found in the context where they are living
now.
MR. RUSSERT: Do you believe there will one day be a true Palestinian
state?
PRIME MIN. BARAK: I'm not a prophet. I'm the leader of Israel. I'm focused
on the security of our state, and I'm confident that the time is right to
leave no stone unturned in the road to strengthen Israel through peace
with all its neighbors. When the time comes, the Palestinians will have to
negotiate with us what kind of entity is shaped for them in a context, a
wider context of all the other issues that are on the table.
MR. RUSSERT: Do you believe that one day the Palestinian flag will fly
over Jerusalem?
PRIME MIN. BARAK: I don't think so. A united sovereign Jerusalem is our
capital, and will remain so forever.
MR. RUSSERT: Could you extend the boundaries of Jerusalem out and allow
the Palestinians to have a piece of that Jerusalem?
PRIME MIN. BARAK: Tim, I don't think that it would be appropriate for us
to run the very delicate negotiations that we have to run with the
Palestinians here on camera on NBC. It's more appropriate to be done with
the Palestinians in a closed room, bona fide, in order to reach an
agreement.
MR. RUSSERT: As you know, the First Lady is running for the Senate in New
York state. She encountered some difficulties when last year she said, "I
think the territory the Palestinians currently inhabit and whatever
additional territory they will obtain through the peace negotiations
should be considered and evolve into a functioning modern state." Is that
helpful to the peace process?
PRIME MIN. BARAK: I do not expect any expression from the First Lady, whom
I highly appreciate, to be part of the peace process in the Middle East.
We, the Middle Easterners, myself, Chairman Arafat, President Mubarak,
King Abdullah, we are the people to decide what will happen in the Middle
East, and we have to negotiate with each other in order to find a solution
with the American, may I say, kind of political umbrella and certain
security and financial safety net.
MR. RUSSERT: Syria. Would Israel be willing to give back land in the Golan
Heights to Syria in order to secure a peace?
PRIME MIN. BARAK: We will abide by 242 and 338, the two relevant U.N.
Security Council resolutions. We fully realize that on the way to peace,
we will have to make compromises, but it is too early to define what kind
of compromises. We will define it once we realize what President Assad is
ready to give in regard to Lebanon, (inaudible), the water question, the
opening of embassies and borders, the security arrangements, the early
warning arrangements, and even a certain level of economic cooperation.
MR. RUSSERT: Prime Minister Rabin said that if there was peace with Syria,
he would welcome the presence of United States troops in the Golan
Heights. Would you welcome U.S. troops there?
PRIME MIN. BARAK: I don't think that U.S. troops will be needed in the
Golan Heights. Maybe there will be a need for a few dozens of foreign
observers or controllers or members of inspections teams. All like this
would be provided by either American or other U.N. leading members.
MR. RUSSERT: Are you still interested in having the CIA help monitor any
agreement with the Palestinians vis-a-vis the West Bank?
PRIME MIN. BARAK: I don't think that the CIA volunteered to do it. It was
dragged into the picture by the slowing down of the whole process, and I
think that once we resume trust with our neighbors, I don't think that
there will be a real need for CIA agents to look after the last
Palestinian policemen.
MR. RUSSERT: If there is peace with the PLO, with Syria, will the United
States have to increase economic aid to the region?
PRIME MIN. BARAK: I believe if you look in the future I've just spent a
night a few days ago in Camp David with President Clinton. We have seen
the arena of President Carter and Prime Minister Begin, President Sadat,
what they decided the peace accord with Egypt 21 years ago. When you look
at the amount of financial resources that have been invested in this
peace, you realize that peace has its price, but it is much less expensive
than going into war, paying with life of human beings, and paying then the
price of recuperation after a major war. I prefer this way, and I believe
that we'll find partners for it.
MR. RUSSERT: Are there positive economic consequences for Israel if you
have a permanent peace?
PRIME MIN. BARAK: Of course. There will be a major flow of foreign
investment into the area, a major wave of tourism if it happens during the
year 2000, and I would like to exploit this opportunity to ask all of the
viewers to come to visit Israel in the year 2000 to revisit the place
where you begin to count 2000 years ago.
MR. RUSSERT: You have said we are at a moment of truth. How long before
you will know whether or not you can truly achieve a permanent peace?
PRIME MIN. BARAK: I believe that within 15 months from now, we will know
whether we have a major breakthrough on the Palestinian, Syrian, and
Lebanese tracks or not. Let me tell you, Tim, I was not afraid to fight
wars. I am not afraid to make peace. I am confident that this is exactly
the mandate that I've been given from the Israeli people in the landslide
victory in the elections two or three months ago. This is a moment of
truth. We should live up to the challenge and put an end to the conflict
of 100 years while strengthening rather than weakening the state of
Israel.